Suction nozzle with adjustable cleaning opening



Feb. 24, 1953 c. BROWN, JR 2,629,126

SUCTION NOZZLE WITH ADJUSTABLE CLEANING OPENING Filed Oct. 12, 1948[NVEN TOR.

CHARLES L. BROWN JD Patented Feb. 24, 1953 SUCTION NOZZLE WITHADJUSTABLE CLEANING OPENING Charles L. Brown, Jr., Stamford, Cnn'.,assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporationof Delaware Application October 12, 1948, Serial No. 54,099

This invention relates to an improved cleaner nozzle and moreparticularly to a nozzle adapted for use with the conventional tank typeof vacuum cleaner for cleaning curtains, drapery, short pile fabrics,upholstery and furniture coverings, slip covers and the like.

Although the cleaner nozzle of this invention is of an improved generalpurpose type, it is especially adapted for use in the cleaning offabrics.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cleaner nozzle which isadaptable to remove surface dust and dirt and by a simple adjustment canbe used to remove dust and dirt more deeply imbedded in the fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning tool which hasan adjustable cleaning opening which in one position of adjustmentprovides a nozzle having sufficient supporting area in the nature oflips to prevent the fabric being cleaned from being drawn deeply intothe nozzle opening and sealing the latter, While in another position ofadjustment is highly effective for deep dirt cleaning, particularly ofpile fabrics.

Another object is to provide a nozzle which can be moved with great easeand rapidity over the surface of a thin or lightweight fabric, such as acurtain, and releasably engages the surface of the fabric while removingdust, dirt, light threads, hairs, and the like therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a nozzle having ridges formed in itscleaning edge and so arranged as to maintain a substantial amount ofcontinuous suction at the leading edge of the nozzle.

A further object is to provide a cleaning tool which is efficient, quietin operation, and easy to handle.

Another object is to provide a cleaning nozzle which can be convenientlyinserted into restricted spaces and corners of upholstered furniture.

Still other and further objects of this invention and advantages thereofwill be apparent from the following description, especially whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a front plan view of the cleaning nozzle;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view showing the movable flap member inposition within the suction opening;

Figure'3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. l; v

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, thenozzle being shown cleaningacurtamfabric;and r 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-402)Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar tothat of Fig. 4 but with themovable flap member in position outside the suction opening, the nozzlebeing shown cleaning a, pile fabric.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a cleaner nozzle 1 I isshown adapted for use with the conventional type of tank or uprightsuction or vacuum cleaner unit upon connection therewith by means of awand l2 and a flexible hose, the wand serving as a rigid hollow handlefor extending the operators reach and variously otherwise improving andadapting the utilization of the nozzle to the needs of the operator.

With such a nozzle, a strong suction current of cleaning air isobtained, and entrained foreign matter, such as dust, hair, lint, cottonand other threads, and similar materials are readily removed fr-om thesurface and interstices of the cloth or fabric being cleaned, and thenpassed through the mouth I of nozzle H, to wand l2 and through theflexible hose connection, etc., to

the vacuum cleaner unit for subsequent disposal.

The nozzle ll comprises a hollow body portion l5 having a formed andpreferably arcuate shaped contacting surface I8 including a pair oflip-like members, more specifically, a fixed front lip 20 and apivotally mounted rear lip 22. The pivoted member 22 is provided withlip portions on opposite sides thereof which are selectively presentablefor contact with the surface undergoing cleaning, as shown in Figs. 4and 5, respectively.

The lips 2|! and 22 are so positioned in Fig. 2 as to define a suctionopening M of fixed length but of variable cross-sectional area dependingupon the position of pivoted member 25 which may be swung into oroutside of the suction open- The swingable flap 25 is pivotally securedat the ends of lip 20 by means of pins 23 and when in closed position asshown in Fig. 2 abut at its ends against stops or ledges 26 formed onthe interior surface of lip 20 at the ends thereof. Flap 25 in thisclosed position reduces the cross-sectional area of the inrushing airflow, reducing the suction opening to the "narrow passage H shown inFig. 2. The flap is held in this position by spring actuated detent 21which presses against a fiat surface 28 cut in the hinge portion of flap25.

In closed position, the lip 22 of flap 25 displaces the fabric beingcleaned a considerable distance from the suction opening M as shown inFig. 4. This displacement together with the narrowing of thecross-sectional area of the nozzle opening serves to keep the fabricbeing cleaned from entering the mouth of the-cleaning tool.

When swung to its open position, as shown in Fig. 5, fiap 25 is removedentirely from the open or suction end of the cleaning nozzle, and .thehinge edge 36 of the flap 25 then serves as the rear lip of suctionopening 3i. In this position the flap is held securely in position againby spring actuated 2! which this time presses against fiat surface 52cut in another face of the hinge portion of fiap 25 in juxtapositionwith detent 21. In'this open position the nozzle is admirably adaptedfor cleaning fabricwhich is held down and/or securely in place as inupholstery covering-slip covers and the like.

In either position of flap 25, it is to be noted that no air space isprovided for the entrance of an-air current by way of the rear lip ofthe cleaner nozzle. The forward lip 22, on the other hand, is providedwith a serrated edge in the formbf a plurality of raised elements 2ibetween which fiows the necessary high speed air current for efficientremoval of surface and imbeddeddirtfrorn the fabric being cleaned.

.If flap 25 is in either of the positions shown in Fig. 3 or 5 and theopposite position is desired, merely releasing the flap 25 by swingingit manually counter-clockwise or clockwise, respectively, enables theoperator to release the detent 2! from its corresponding abutmentagainst fiat portion 28 or 32 and reengage the detent with 32 or 28 uponcompletion of the corresponding swing. In the reduced cross-sectionalarea position, the extension of lip 22 below or anterior to the suctionopening i l aids in keeping the fabric outof the open mouth of thecleaning nozzle. A greater air speed is thus obtained and'more eificientsurface cleaning effected thereby. In this position the nozzle is betterable to remove threads, hairs, and similar strongly adhering articlesfrom the surface of the fabric 4!], Fig. 4. Furthermore, the serratededge 2E on the front lip of the cleaning tool helps to maintain anuninterrupted flow of air through the opening M. In. any event, thematerially reduced cross-sectional area results in a greatlyconcentrated suction of air and hence facilitates the removal of objectswhich adhere tenaciously to the fabric surface.

Forward nozzle lip it has raised portions. 2| thereon which also provideadditional surface contacting means to prevent clogging of the suctionopening by the fabric. lhe rearward nozzle lip 22, in the position shownin Figs. 2, 3 and 4, below the raised portion 2i and althoughmaintaining fiat closed contact with the fabric surface displaces thecloth surface still farther out of the suctionopening M.

However, when flap 25 is lifted out of the mouth of the suction nozzle Hand swung to its open position, Fig. 5, where spring detent 2'! pressedoutwardly by spring 29 locks or holds the hinged fiap 25 by contactagainst fiat facing 32, then the greatly enlarged cross-sectionalsuction opening thereby obtained enables the. curill tain or similarfabric 4| Fig. 5, to be drawn into the nozzle opening.

In its opened condition, the nozzle is better adapted to clean fine pilefabric such as plush, velvet and the like, since the short uprightfilaments comprising these materials are flared outwardly upon beingtaken internally of the opening SI and entrapped dust particles areshaken loose therefrom and entrained in the air suction stream.

In either mode of operation, the raised portions 2| on the serratedforward lip 20 serve to hold the cleaned .surface of the fabricdistended and allow a swift current of air to fiow over the fabric. andremovesurface dust and interstitial dust, as well as any hair, loosethreads, and the like on the surface of the fabric being cleaned.

It is to be understood that although but one embodiment of the inventionhas been shown and described, this is merely by way of illustration andthat the scope of thisinvention is to be limited solely by the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a suction nozzle, a hollow body having a pair of lips, one ofwhich is serrated and fixed, said lips being adapted to contact thesurface being cleaned and defining a suction, opening, and a memberpivotally connected to said body and having contours forming a pluralityof lips each being selectively positionable substantially generallyparallel with said, fixed lip to define said suction opening, saidmember being swingable from a position in which one of its contoursproduces a suction opening of maximum cross-sectional. area to aposition in which another of its contours produces a suction opening ofminimum cross-sectional area but of length equivalent to the suctionopening of saidfirst mentioned position, and adetent means for holdingsaid member in each of said positions.

In a suction nozzle, a hollow body having a pair of lips, one of whichis fixed, said lips being adapted to contact the surface being cleanedand defining a suction opening, the fixed lip of said pairof lips havingan arcuate shape and being serrated over that ,portion thereofcontacting the surface being cleaned, and a member pivotally connectedto said body and having contours forming a plurality of lip portionseach being selectivelypositionable substantially generally parallel withsaid fixed lip to define the other lip of said pair of lips, said memberbeing swingable from a position in which one of its contours produces asuction opening of maximum cross-sectional area to a position in whichanother of its contours produces a suction opening of minimumcross-sectional area but of length equivalent to the suction opening ofsaid firstv mentioned position, and a single springv pressed detent forvholding said member in each of said positions.

3. In a suction nozzle, a hollow body having a pair oflips, one of whichis fixed, said lips being adapted to contact the surface beingv cleanedand defining a suction opening, the fixed lip of said pair of lipshaving an arcuate shape and being serrated over that portion thereofcontacting thesurface being cleaned, and a member pivotally connected tosaid body and having contours forming a plurality of lip portions eachbeing selectively positionable substantially generally parallel withsaid fixed lip to define the other lip of said pair of lips, said memberbeing swingable from. a position in which one of its contours forms astraight, lip and produces .a

CHARLES L. BROWN, JR.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Becker Oct. 18, 1932 Kuhnel Mar.21, 1933 Allen Mar. 13, 193% Riebel Nov. 13, 1934 Lofgren Mar. 24, 1936Eriksson-Jons May 17, 1938 Forsberg Mar. 18, 1941

